Winged Wheeler

The USAF has taken a lot of hits on this board lately. Now with the blood purge at the Pentagon and all the recent black eyes, I figured I'd pile on.

I seem to recall them telling us that the main reason for the USAF departing from the Army was that local/regional commanders did not use air assets efficiently. Seems to me the ATO solves this problem.

So, do we need the AF?

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"I'm disappointed I lost three teeth but...you can always get new teeth."
Teemu Selanne

Spaceman Spliff

I think another reason the AF was formed was to ensure air power would not get overlooked or minimized by the Army's and Navy's primary missions--boats and boots.

The ATO has solved many utilization issues in theater, but the need to "train and equip" is why the AF will remain independent arm, IMHO.

Plus, airplanes are only a part of the AF...the space weenies are getting more and more emphasis every day...that's probably the biggest reason the AF isn't going anywhere.

DYNASTY HVY

Yes !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

beis77

Do we need an AF? I say "yes". Simply because the Army doesn't understand USAF doctrine. They don't understand how we employ our assets.

I can tell you that life as we know it would be pretty miserable if we re-integrated with the Army. Don't get me wrong, I like the Army folks I've met and worked with. They are a great bunch and I have the utmost respect for them; but that doesn't mean I'd want to rush out and join.

The Army philosophy is completely different from that of the USAF. I'd say about 180 out. And I can tell you from working with the Army for past couple of years now as an LNO that the majority of Army staff I've worked with have a fundamental misunderstanding of how we employ airlift. Not to mention ACC assets or Space. Bottom line, nobody knows our job better than we do. We need the AF.

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"Ineptitude- If you can't learn to do something well, learn to enjoy doing it poorly."

Deuce130

Do we need the Navy? Couldn't we just give all the boats to the AF? Do we need the Army? Can we just give all the troops and equipment to the Navy? Kind of a dumb question, really.

USCJim

You make a great case for disbanding the USAF. 180 out from the Army? Not a good business case to exist as a service...

Sputnik

Do we need a Naval aviation arm? We understand airpower best, so we didn't we put AEF's on boats? We took planes from the Army, why not the Navy?

L'il J.Seinfeld

We need the USAF more than ever. It will be a cold day in Tehran before we invade another country again. And a land invasion of China? Our next war will be heavily air power centered. Even though the lives lost have been a few thousand, which comparitively is not a lot (unless you are one of their loved ones), our nation will not tolerate another land war/occupation anytime soon IMO.

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Can't wait for Dec 13th 2012.

USMCFLYR

Sputnik -

And who says that you understand airpower best? The USAF says that you understand airpower best?

USMCFLYR

1Seat 1Engine

If there was a service that you could target for elimination it would be the marine corps.

How does the joke go?

I can understand that the Navy needs it's own private air force, and I can almost understand that the Navy needs it's own private army, but I just can't figure out why the Navy's private army needs it's own private air force.